Runway Inspired ric#50 - Matthew Williamson take 2

This is my second card for the Runway Inspired challenge. Whilst I was at Christmas dinner, I couldn't help but notice the gorgeous christmas cracker would be perfect for this challenge - so I scrounged all the used crackers and you may see a few more iridescent die cuts in the coming months!

Runway Inspired ric#50 - Matthew Williamson

Oh wow - it's the 50th Runway Inspired Challenge! I hope they keep going for a very long time. The inspiration photo for the current challenge, for some reason, reminds me of summer, which we are in the midst of here in the Southern Hemisphere. I think it is the cool chartreuse and gold colour scheme - makes me think of a Midori and ice!

I have several ideas in my head for this challenge - here is the 1st one.

I decided to try the faux letterpress technique for this using an embossing folder and Memento Luxe
ink. The sentiment is from Taylored Expressions.

Case Study Challenge #171

I just love the inspiration for this weeks Case Study Challenge! I loved it when I first saw it on Moxie Fab World and I couldn't let the opportunity pass me by to case this image.

I stamped the image on the die cut bird and then used masking fluid to cover the image. When it was dry, I used various inks and spritzed them. The hardest part was waiting for it to dry!
I then stamped the images on the card, die cut the birdcage and mounted the cage and bird on the card.
The stamps are Floral Applique from Penny Black, the bird die is from Memory Box and the cage die is from Tim Holtz.

I'm making a card set for a Christmas gift, so I preferred not to add a sentiment.

Simon Says Stamps Wednesday Challenge - Let it snow

Just another quick post. The theme this week at SSS Wedneday Challenge is - Let it Snow.
Well that's very unlikely to happen here (it's expected to be over 40 Celcius on Thursday - so I wouldn't mind some refreshing rain! However, I do have friends and relatives overseas in New York and UK, so , I had some fun with some Pink Petticoat images and made some little decorations/ tags.

 I used copics and dimensional glitter.

Fusion Card Challenge take 2

Well after a week of no card making I'm feeling a bit rusty!

 I was busy last week being taxi driver (to kids and my Mum), I spent a day organising accommodation for a craft retreat (yay!), then I had to organise overseas presents and cards and get them all sent (nearly done!), the next day Mum got sick and I went to look after her until she was ok to be her own, followed by a day of rest and of course yesterday I  came down with the gastro (caught from Mum)!! Luckily It was only a 24 hour thing, so today I'm feeling a lot better and I'm managing to get some crafting done.

I decided to make another card for the the Fusion Card Challenge, because I still need more Christmas cards. I was inspired by both the photo and the sketch.
ETA - I just remembered I meant to enter this in the Scrapbook Boutique Challenge.

How adorable do these cakes look - especially the christmas tree!

The paper is from our local craft shop.  The wood veneer deer's head is a newy from Kaisercraft.

Runway Inspired Challenge #49 Celine

I must say, I really do love the Runway Inspired Challenge! Before Ric, I knew nothing about fashion and had not heard of many of the designers used in these challenges. I love that trends follow through from fashion to many other industries and arts, including paper crafts. I've seen comments from some people saying 'I wouldn't wear that!", but that's not what it's about is it? It's all about design! So thanks to the Ric team for opening my mind and inspiring me!

This particular outfit reminds me of a dress I wore in the 90s!

It's been a while since I've made a one layer card with nothing but stamping! I've used Hero Arts Brush strokes, sponge daubers, the tip of a pencil rubber and distress stain (silver).  The fern image is from Hot off the Press and the sentiment is an oldie from Stylish Images Australia. I used Memento Luxe and Versafine Onyx Black ink pads.

I've been playing around with Pic Monkey making my own blog header - it's so much fun and free for a lot of stuff.

Fusion Card Challenge

Yay it's monday morning, which means I have some quiet time, enjoying my morning coffee, whilst browsing my favourite blogs. One blog I visited was Lyndal Higgins, Dreams & Other Realities,which reminded me of the Fusion Card Challenge.

This challenge looks like so much fun, so I'm not sure why I haven't played along more often. Last month Lesley advised she would be closing the challenge, but she had so much feedback asking her to keep it open, that it will now be continuing in 2014.

This tag is based on the picture.

K've had this stamp for a long time and I must say it is still one of my favourite

Christmas stamps. This could be used for a gift tag or an ornament.

Case Study Challenge #169 Take 2

This is my second post for today and second card for the current Case Study Challenge, so I'll be quick.

I decided to make another card, because I wanted to capture the vibrancy of the peacock feather, by using liquid pearls (peacock), lumber metallic paint and intense pencils. The image was stamped with Ranger archival black. The sentiment is not dymo but a tape I found in a gift shop (I love it and think I need more!) The sequins are from the lovely Lyndal Higgins.

Case Study Challenge #169 - "Oh My Moxie Fab" Tribute to Cath

Hi there, it's been a very busy weekend and I'm taking time out to post 2 cards for the Case Study Challenge. This month they are doing something different - the team is paying tribute to Cath Edvalson by choosing their favourite "Oh My Moxie Fab!" posts. This weeks inspiration is a real beauty and it has made me very inspired.

Here is my first card…

The stamp is from Hot Off The Press and this is the first time I've used it. It was one of those small, cheap stamps and it seemed to get lost in my stamp supplies. So this was the perfect occasion to christen it!
I used distress markers, colouring and blending directly on to the stamp, spritzing the stamp and the watercolour paper and then stamping. When it was dry I added the gold glitter on the feathers and around the border of the matt card.  I couldn't decide how to add a sentiment, so in the end I decided not to, because sometimes it's good to have a blank card.

Oh and  by the way, I wanted to say what a wonderful day I had on Friday, I was lucky enough to meet Chupa and some other talented and fun paper crafters, Cecilia, Lyndal and Michelle.
We all live in Melbourne and caught up for lunch, lots of laughs and crafty talk. Next time we may even make some cards together! Yay!!!

Case Study Challenge Take 2/ City Crafter - Wood+ Frame

I decided to make another card for the Case Study Challenge because I love Keisha's beautiful creations and I thought of using this chipboard frame. The bonus is that City Crafter have a challenge to use wood or frames.

It is a very rainy day and extremely dark, so ! am struggling to get a good photo, especially as gold is hard to photograph even on a good day!

I've used images from Kaisercraft, Fern Gully Stamps and Spellbinders. I cut up the chipboard to fit on the card, then inked and embossed it with silver powder.

City Crafter challenge - White on White Christmas

I thought I'd sneak in a card for the City Crafter Challenge (I haven't played there for a while), which is about to close.

I originally made this all white, but the pop of red is much better!

I embossed the white card with a cuttlebug folder, then swiped with versamark, heat embossed using stuck on you powder and then added glitter. Then I used punches for the snowflakes.
I'm not sure why I didn't just use AC glitter paper, but maybe it cant be embossed??

Festive Friday - Final Challenge/ Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Yes, I'm back with yet another Christmas card - I'm determined to get some use of a good chunk of my Christmas stash, then maybe I can buy some new goodies next year! Ok, I admit I did buy a few new things, but I have been good at using up old paper.

This time I decided to go for the vintage theme Christmas at Festive Friday and it also fits the challenge theme at SSS Wednesday Challenge, which is Anything Goes.

The paper is a mixture, some from Kaisercraft and some from Hot of the Press (magazine freebie). The brad is an oldie - I think that's also from Kaisercraft.

And for a bit of Christmas cheer - here is a pic of Leo, one of our little cuties!

Festive Friday - I can't stop/SSS Monday challenge - Christmas Countdown

I hope I'm not making too many for the Festive Friday challenge, I've noticed lot's of other christmas card challenges, but this one is my fave.

So this time I made an ornament instead of a card and I'm also entering this in the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge -  Christmas Countdown, because I've managed to tick another gift off the list and also for the SSS Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes.

I was very taken with this gorgeous ornament made by Cathy Andronicou in the Christmas classes on the Penny Black Blog, so I thought I'd give it a try.

The only challenge  was making my own tassel.  The stamp is Penny Black's Natures Best and the 'Merry' is made wit a PB die. I used water colour pencils,  gelatos wink of stellar pen, a Faber Castell  Pitt Artist white pen (for highlights) .
I also stamped some sheet music over the image with gold ink.

Festive Friday Final - 'Merry'

Here's another card for Festive Friday Final Challenge - it's another one for the theme to use 'Merry' somewhere on the card.  I made a similar card last year for a Moxie Fab (sigh) challenge, which gave me the idea.

Acetate cards are very hard to photograph, because the light reflects off the card, but I managed to block out most of the light and then used a flash.

Case Study Challenge #168 and Festive Friday

It's Friday here in Australia and I've been busy crafting, while all my American friends have been celebrating Thanksgiving and are now tucked up in bed, getting ready for Black Friday sales! My daughter is very jealous of all the wonderful holidays which are celebrated in the USA - she thinks Australia is very boring!

One of the cards I made today is for the Case Study Challenge and based on another Festive Friday theme, which is to include the word 'Merry' in the card. It's Keisha's last week as Muse at Case Study and I have really enjoyed casing her graphic/Cas style!

I decided to go Nordic again and use this gorgeous DP I got from Spotlight, a local craft store.
You can't tell by this photo, but I have mounted the striped paper with foam tape and the sentiment is from another sheet of paper, which I thought looked great on top of the stripes, balancing the design.

Muse Card Challenge #45 Guest Designer Lucy

I was very inspired when I saw the inspiration card by Lucy in the current Muse Card challenge - it is a total stunner...

Here is my take on Lucy's card...

I die cut the ornament from the card and then cut the another ornament with 2 dies from chipboard and thirdly a smaller ornament to sit in the middle. The chipboard was inked and embossed 3 times and the centre ornament was embossed with a cuttlebug folder. The charm is from a local craft shop.

Designed to Colour - Christmas/Winter theme

I found a new challenge which looks like fun, because the challenge is to colour at least one image in keeping with the theme. This is good for me, because it really is a bit of a challenge for me - not my best attribute and I'm sure I can improve with practice!

Now I'm not super happy with the result of this card. It's a Kaisercraft stamp and I love the image, but I've tried various ways to stamp/emboss or not emboss and colour and so far I'm happiest with the silver. I've tried black, but it was too boring, but I might try again.

You can play along with the Design by Colour challenge here.

As you can see, I stamped the image in silver and embossed with silver sparkle powder. I coloured the image with Wink of Stellar Pen and Copics.

I've tried fussy cutting this image, but it is difficult with the flourish. Has anyone got any ideas?

Christmas Countdown - Festive Friday Final take 3/Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge

I'm still in Christmas card mode and today I watched the Papertrey Ink Make It Monday video, which was hilighting the use of heat and stick powder with glitter. I have been using this method quite a bit lately, it really is magic! 

I am entering this in to the Festive Friday Final challenge and the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Christmas Countdown.

 

The tree stamp is from Hot off the Press (magazine freebie) and the sentiment is from Pink Petticoat.
I have used a combination of Pan Pastel, distress inks, PearlEx and glitter.

Muse Challenge #44

I just managed to complete a card for this weeks Muse Card Challenge.  The muse is Marion Vagg and she has come up with a real stunner for us to case. I decided to keep going with the Christmas card production and my inspiration was obviously the chalkboard trend.

I used a die to make a stencil for the doves and then swiped ink over the stencil and white embossed. I got the mirror image by turning the paper over and die cutting the second bird in the reverse.
The sentiment is from Penny Black.

Case Study #167/Runway Inspired #48

Hi again - 2nd post for the day! I noticed that a few people have combined 2 of my favourite challenges, Case Study and Runway Inspired, so I decided to try that myself. Here is the result....

I used one of my favourite Hero Arts stamps and a mix of water colour pencils and gelatos and once it was dry, I swiped the image with versamark and clear embossed it.

Festive Friday Challenge - Final Challenge

Oh dear, I only recently found this fun challenge and now this is the last one for the year!
It certainly inspires me to make holiday cards! But the good news is Festive Friday will start again in the new year, so I can start extra early for Christmas 2014!

The challenge is to choose our favourite challenge inspiration and make a card based on that. So I went back through the old inspiration photos and found this one....

I've used 2 different Memory Box dies, lots of distress ink, perfect pearls and glitter. It makes me wish we were with my Husband's family in Scotland for a white christmas!

Festive Friday & Scrapbook Boutique take 2

Another quick post, because I'm trying to finish off lots of uncompleted projects.

This card is my second for both The Festive Friday challenge and the Scrapbook Boutique Challenge.